The Most Frequently Asked Questions About Data Management Platforms and Audience Data Collection Explained

FAQ: Data Management Platforms and Audience Data Providers

Data collection and management is a critical part of digital marketing and advertising today. Brands rely on data providers and management platforms to gather insights into their target audiences across channels. But for many marketers, the world of data platforms and providers remains complex and confusing. In this FAQ guide, we’ll answer the most common questions about data management platforms (DMPs), audience data, data providers, and using data in B2B marketing. Whether you’re just getting started with data-driven marketing or looking to take your strategy to the next level, read on for simple, beginner-friendly answers to your top data questions.

What is a data management platform?

A data management platform (DMP) is a technology solution that collects, stores, and organizes first, second, and third-party audience data from various sources. It allows you to create customer segments and activate them across different marketing channels.

How does a DMP collect data?

DMPs use pixels, SDKs, APIs, and integrations to ingest data from your owned channels like your website and mobile apps. They also connect to third-party data providers to access their audience segments and data marketplaces.

What are the core capabilities of a DMP?

The core capabilities include collecting and organizing data, creating unified customer profiles, building audience segments, activating segments across channels, measuring campaign performance, and applying data for personalization.

What are the benefits of using a DMP?

Benefits include centralizing data, eliminating data silos, gaining a unified customer view, activating audiences across channels, optimizing campaigns through testing and measurement, and improving personalization.

First-party vs. third-party data: What's the difference?

First-party data comes from sources owned by your brand, like your website, mobile apps, CRM, and email lists. Third-party data is sourced from external providers. DMPs combine first and third-party data.

What are some examples of third-party data types?

Examples include demographic data, interest/intent data, purchase intent data, B2B firmographic data, location data, customer list rental data, and more.

What data can my DMP gather from my owned properties?

From your site and apps, DMPs can collect behavioral data, transactional data, on-site search data, contact information, and more.

How can third-party data complement my first-party data?

It can help fill gaps, enhance insights with new attributes, enable more advanced segmentation, improve personalization, and allow for cross-device matching.

What are some top business contact databases?

Dun & Bradstreet, ZoomInfo, LeadGenius, DiscoverOrg, and LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator are leading contact databases.

Which data providers offer firmographic segments?

Bombora, TechTarget, and Demandbase are known for B2B firmographic data sourced from IP addresses.

What are examples of B2B intent data providers?

Bombora, TechTarget, and Demandbase also offer intent data based on content consumption. Other options are EverString, 6sense, and PureB2B.

Are there specialized data providers for specific industries?

Yes, providers like TechTarget, HG Data, and ZoomInfo have data offerings tailored to healthcare, tech, manufacturing, and other niches.

How can DMP data improve ad targeting on search and social?

You can build custom audiences and target them on platforms like Google, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Quora.

What about using DMP data for targeting on native advertising and content sites?

Data segments can be activated through partnerships with Outbrain, Taboola, Yahoo Gemini, and more.

How else can I activate audiences for non-ad channels?

You can use DMP integrations for email, on-site personalization, direct mail, customer data platforms, and more.

What are best practices for cross-channel activation?

Develop consistent audience frameworks across channels, document metadata for segments, set frequency caps to avoid over-targeting, and track performance.

By leveraging the power of data management platforms and audience data providers, brands can gain customer intelligence to improve ad targeting, personalize experiences, and optimize campaigns across every channel. While DMPs and data collection may seem complex at first, taking the time to understand the basics opens up game-changing possibilities for marketers. With the right education on core concepts and smart execution, any brand can tap into data to boost results and create more relevant experiences.

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